Wedding & Life in the UK

Life in the British capital started in an interesting and lively manner; meetings with many different people, not just diplomats; learning of the English language. In 1948, Petar was promoted to 1st Secretary rank, but in Prague. After a short while, Petar decided to turn down the promotion and stay in the UK. This decision completely changed the course of his life.

He was an immigrant, but with a work permit. Following his interests, he made contact with writers, translators, theatre and film people. Due to his knowledge of French and Italian, he started publishing articles and reviews in the French magazine ‘Art & Culture’. In 1949, he started his longstanding passion – writing reviews of exhibitions for the British magazine ‘Art News & Review’ and weekly broadcasts on cultural topics for the BBC Bulgarian Service. There, he was able to use his beloved mother tongue and inform his Bulgarian listeners about cultural events in both countries.

At the beginning of the ‘50s, Pierre Rouve, as he was then known, launched his theatrical career in the UK by working with Jack de Leon at the Q Theatre.

With the help of his Russian friend, Anatol de Grundwald, he began working in the field of cinema, where he met with the likes of Richard Todd, Dirk Bogarde and Claire Bloom.

In 1958, Pierre met Sonia Joyce together with one of her close friends. Whilst he was filming in France in 1961, she phoned him to say that she had found the ideal house in Chelsea. This is the same house which so many friends visited over the years.

Pierre’s work in cinema was becoming ever more significant. In 1962, he filmed Sofia Loren in ‘The Millionairess’ and worked with Antonioni, Vanessa Redgrave and David Hemmings in ‘Blow Up’ – iconic film of the ‘60s.

Pierre and Sonia got married in December 1962 and, to his great pleasure, his mother phoned from Sofia.

Their life together was full of interests and activities; joined in 1973 by their baby daughter Mila.